Officers of the Cuero Police Department were dispatched to the Cuero Municipal Swimming Pool on May 29. Officers were told a woman had fallen into the pool. When officers arrived on the scene, however, they learned a woman did not fall into the pool but nearby into the Cuero Lake.

Roy Cervantes, who had been at the park fishing on the pier, was already in the water, holding up the 17-year-old woman who had fallen into the water, when emergency personnel arrived.

Cervantes was joined in his rescue efforts by Cuero PD officer Dennis Torres and Cory Mekush of the Cuero Fire Department. The three men were presented with a certificate of commendation from mayor Sara Post Meyer at the June 24 city council meeting for their “selfless act of heroism.”

“It was an honor to do that, I would have done that for anybody,” Cervantes said at the meeting. “It seemed like I was in the water for hours. I said to [Torres], ‘There’s no bottom here.’”

Cervantes thanked Torres and Mekush for their service.

According to police chief Jay Lewis, a black man also entered the water to assist. However, his identity has not been confirmed. Anyone with info about this incident is asked to contact the police department so this fourth man may also be recognized.

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